Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque :
We frequently talk about self-development. Is it a distant dream or possible? Things in this respect depend inter alia on motivation and enthusiasm created by charismatic leadership. Only leadership can unite the people through thick and thin to change their lots. The Academy contributed to the creation of numerous primary societies affiliated to Thana Central Co-operative Association (TCCA), thanks to the pioneering role of Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan. He stood out as an example of charismatic leadership.
Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan was concerned about the participation of poor. He sounded a note of caution that the poor should not receive any favour from those who were solvent. He was aware that the new co-operative system was not absolutely a break from the past and it would be operative within the exploitative class structure. Under the inspiring guidance from Akhtar Hameed Khan a group of faculty members of BARD has been trying to evolve a suitable mechanism to organize the villagers into groups. ‘They desired to shape the structure of the co-operative following the model of Wilium Raiffeisen.’ ‘The main principles of Raiffeisen model were group loans, mutual watchfulness, emphasis on character rather emphasis on reserve and deposit and group solidarity on unlimited liability . The Academy decided to select each village as primary co-operative organization and set the following agenda of action’ such as “1..holding weekly meeting with compulsory participation of the group members for collection of weekly savings. 2. Regularity in the academic discussions held by the members.3Selecting a model farmer from the village who would act as extension agent 4. Collection of deposits from the members by the organizers with a systematic arrangement 5. Capital accumulation from savings 6..Introducing supervised credit system.Adoption of up to date technologies and skills in the field of agriculture.7.Registration of co-operative and its affiliation to central co-operative Association.”
Around the laboratory area ‘many primary societies were formed with the program of capital accumulation, credit accumulation, adoption of improved farm practices, continuous education and training and local leadership .’ ‘There were 391 primary societies in the thana. The areas of their operation related to co-operative credit, irrigation, agriculture extension, training and marketing service’.
TCCA was established as a ‘supporting institution for the primary societies. It ensured the supply of necessary in puts and services’. TCCA organized ‘ banking, supervised credit, production inputs and agricultural extension’.
The Comilla model first experimented within the laboratory area has been established as a national program. The Government created BRDB to promote tw- structured co-operative concept of Comilla model.
The two-tier co-operative has contributed to the significant increase in rice per yield.
This is an indication that there was an amelioration of economic conditions in the Comilla Sadar Thana, the laboratory area. Whereas before the introduction of the Comilla co-operative system economic conditions were in the state of utter frustration; no improvement in the well being of the rice producers. ‘The laboratory area was characterized by flood, famine and starvation . Socio-economic changes brought about by the application of Comilla co-operative as well as all round pilot experimentation at the beginning on two-tier co-operation have been documented in the Annual Reports The members of the KSS at the starting point of pilot experiment on co-operative were regular about attending weekly meetings. They used to make regular thrift deposits, purchase annual renewal shares, prepare production plans maintaining close contacts with TCCA. The members also participated in the decision making and management of the co-operative. The primary village societies sent their managers, model farmers, chairmen, Imam-teachers, women organizers and others to TTDC for training. Besides, participation was reflected in KSS representation in the managing committee of the KTTC Ltd. The members of KSS also articulated their participation indirectly through their ‘attendance in the adult schools, repayment of loans, service charges and other dues, attendance in rallies and adoption of modern agricultural practices’
The TCCA-KSS used to channel funds for multi sectoral development projects. Members were supposed to join training course on modern technical know-how, motivation and reporting about performance. The Academy arranged training program for co-operative managers, executive members and model farmers. The model co-operatives received continuous guidance and directions from the Academy. They developed exchange program with each other under the aeigis of BARD to facilitate sharing of experiences about the methods of rural development.
The TCCA-KSS experiment facilitated farmer’s participation in a meaningful way. By fostering a sense of participation it organized the farmers into a common institutional platform in which they mobilized their resources and potentials getting to learn to value co-operation to obtain services and benefits as a corporate group. Many primary co-operatives as functional groups and operative units of integration achieved a remarkable success in credit operation (capital formation and credit recovery). Even is some villages beyond the laboratory area primary societies received increasing amount of credit from TCCA and performed well with satisfactory recovery rate.
(Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque, Professor, Department of Public Administration, Chittagong University)
